October 23, 2010

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A reader had told me late morning today that they'd seen an ad upstate that hit Carl Paladino's advisers, which I couldn't get an answer to about whether it was up from Team Cuomo.

But Liz Benjamin has more on this, including from Erie County GOP chairman saying he saw it last night, and is said to be intended as a response ad to the one Paladino started airing, apparently yesterday, about the AG's prosecutions. (That's a little less clear to me given the timing, and when it entered the rotation, which is rather close to when the Paladino ad started airing).

The ad hits campaign manager Michael Caputo for money he owes the IRS, according to a New York Times story; John Haggerty as "stealing" millions, according to Benjamin's account from Langworthy (Haggerty was indicted by the Manhattan DA but has maintained his innocence); and Rus Thompson, who the ad says has an "open warrant" out for his arrest.

Thompson has an alcohol-related driving incident in Arizona in the 1990s, but has said he was unaware of an outstanding warrant from a court appearance he missed in the case and has been in Alcoholics Anonymous since then, per the original NY Times story. Caputo also has a release showing he has been cleared of a federal tax lien in Florida after paying the debt.

At the same time, a state Democratic Party mailer started hitting boxes in Brooklyn today, slamming Paladino for tax breaks on his business and calling him "dangerous" for New York.

Caputo's response to Cuomo's ad is after the jump.

ANDREW CUOMO THINKS HE CAN ANSWER FOR HIS MASSIVE FAILURES BY ATTACKING CARL PALADINO AND HIS STAFF

ANSWER TO THE FACTS, JOSH VLASTO - IT'S TIME TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP.

FACT: Steven Rattner was given immunity from criminal action in the pension fund kickback scandal. New York Times 1JUN10, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/business/02sec.html?_r=2

FACT: Andrew Cuomo accused Pedro Espada of "siphoning money from a charity", a crime that is "especially reprehensible." Yet, there is no criminal action pending against Senator Espada; only a civil action that would entail no jail time. New York Times 20APR10, http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/espada-accused-of-using-nonprofit-for-personal-gain/

FACT: Assemblyman Vito Lopez has stolen millions in public funds through his patronage empire in Brooklyn. Yet Andrew Cuomo calls him 'my good friend' and has taken no action against him; because he needs the New York City Democratic machine to drive turnout. New York Daily News 5OCT10, http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/10/maybe-andrew-cuomo-wasnt-that.html

FACT: Andrew Farkas was caught stealing $7.6 million in HUD funds that was supposed to be used for maintenance of housing for poor people. Village Voice 29AUG06, http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-08-29/news/andrew-cuomo-s-2-million-man/

FACT: Cuomo called Farkas a 'slum lord', said the action against him was the 'biggest in HUD history', and that Farkas was 'using HUD for his personal ATM', all indisputable quotes not included in a New York Times whitewash on the subject by in-the-tank David Halbfinger. Village Voice 29AUG06, http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-08-29/news/andrew-cuomo-s-2-million-man/

FACT: Farkas was allowed by Cuomo to return less than he stole and admit no wrongdoing, permitting Farkas to go on milking HUD programs and flip his low-income housing portfolio for $910 million. Village Voice 29AUG06, http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-08-29/news/andrew-cuomo-s-2-million-man/

FACT: Farkas gave Cuomo $1.2 million after Cuomo left office, and over $900,000 in campaign contributions. In Buffalo, that's called a bribe. Village Voice 29AUG06, http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-08-29/news/andrew-cuomo-s-2-million-man/

FACT: Cuomo has announced no action in the scandal surrounding the Aqueduct Bid rigging scheme involving the Governor, the Secretary to the Governor, the Senate Temporary President, the Senate Democratic Leader, the Secretary to the Senate, a former Senator, a gaming company executive, consultant to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee Hank Sheinkopf, Governor Paterson's top aide and the chairman of the state racing and wagering board - all Democrats. These men were caught in an exhaustive investigation by State IG Joseph Fisch - why does Andrew do nothing? New York Daily News 21OCT10, http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/10/21/2010-10-21_inside_deals_secret_lobbying_marked_the_aqueduct_slot_machine_operator_process_r.html